The Halcyonite

(Image: IMDb)

A tasteful yet experimental satire of “haute-cuisine.”

By Liam

’24

I decided to see The Menu on a whim, and a very lucky whim it was. I was unsure of what I was expecting–a blind taste test, if you will–and I believe you should, too.

The film–which follows a couple who go to an island for an expensive meal that gets out of hand–instantly pulled me in. Its minimalistic style à la “cooking show” seemed like an homage to such television series (See: Chef’s Table), sticking to a unique set of colors, music and pacing, that makes you hungry for the rest of the film. Seeing this documentary style in a piece of fiction made me really question where it was going. I mean this in the best way possible. I expected a thriller, and a thriller I certainly got, but the tone of the film fluctuates, making you unsure of how the film will end. “The game is trying to guess what the overarching theme of the entire meal is going to be. You won’t know until the end” suggests character Tyler, portrayed by Nicholas Hoult, which nicely foreshadows and self-references the film. 

The acting, as expected, is brilliant. Anya Taylor-Joy and Ralph Fiennes, as their reputations would suggest, absolutely kill it as the out of place diner and the obsessive and vengeful chef, respectively. Taylor-Joy captures well the essence of a conflicted character, and is symbolic of the “gray area” of 2 separate sides of human conflict, while Fiennes well represents the slightly off-putting not-quite-antagonist. The film constantly makes you unsure of who to support and side with, ramping up the tension for the characters and viewers alike.

This is the strongest point of the film: the sheer amount of tension it puts through the audience. Constant unexpected events leave you unable to predict the path the film will follow, leaving you unsure and worried. However, the constant tension leads to a bit of a lack of payoff. The entire film leaves you in just full-on tense mode, never really giving the audience a chance to breathe, or even a real reason to be tense. This is particularly evidenced by the ending of The Menu, which essentially was not a “stuck landing.” It leaves a lot ambiguously open, which is a strength in terms of this movie, but it can be slightly confusing for the audience. This is not at all bad, but seems bizarre in a film poking fun at snobbiness in food culture when it will follow the things it satirizes, but instead in terms of film culture. 

Ultimately, The Menu is a film that definitely should be high up on your watch list, but do avoid it if you do not like loose ends. It is quite the meal to remember, whether positive or negative. You won’t know what’s on the menu, but you will enjoy it by the end, one way or another. 

Final Rating: 7/10

UK Age Rating: 15+